Farrago

Dark Horse Theatre—Centennial Concert Hall – Rehearsal Hall

One element of Fringe that sustains everyone through long days of diverse entertainment is the buzz. Entering a sold-out theatre (only three available seats), hearing the excited discussions of what people have seen and are about to see, prepares Fringers for the dramatic adventure about to unfold.

On most levels, the performance of Farrago that I attended met these expectations. The crowd laughed spontaneously, reacted vocally to the ineptitude of the bank robbers, and were with the actors from start to finish. Mike Seccombe, playwright, co-director, and the leader of the bank robbers, is a seasoned Fringer. His sense of what will please a Fringe audience came through in the actions and dialogue, but what mostly struck me was his (and the actors’) firm delineation of an array of quirkily intriguing characters. Within the cleverly quick changes of plot and tone, each character touched the audience in some way, showing nuances of their character within a rich understanding of their character’s back story and of their role in advancing the plot.

Those who projected well and were clearly audible were most enjoyable. Those who did not weakened the tension of the plot and the energy of the play. Most imbued their roles with crisp, definite movements and intense energy while some did not, with the same unfortunate effect on the flow of the story. The ending was as it had to be but I kept hoping for another surprise – there had been so many good ones.

I should also mention that the venue is a good one – the Rehearsal Room in the Centennial Concert Hall – with a bar and snacks for further enjoyment!

Sharon Hamilton